Bird Watching Season Hits Its Peak in New York City

A Prairie warbler is viewed in Prospect Park on Wednesday. See more photos in our slideshow.

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The bright, blossoming cherry and crabapple trees in New York City’s parks are always a draw for tourists and New Yorkers this time of year. But they’re also a hit with another kind of visitor: birds heading north on an annual migration route.

While those afflicted by allergies may curse their pollen, the blossoming trees and the insects they attract make the city an appetizing pit stop for birds flying along the Atlantic Flyway migration route.

Despite how dense and urban it is, “New York City is a pretty good stopover place,” said Dr. Robert DeCandido, an expert in bird migration who leads daily bird watching tours through Central Park. Some birds may spend several days or even a week here, “which tells us that the food supply in New York City parks can be pretty good,” Dr. DeCandido said.